The Healey Road Wildlife Centre in Scunthorpe has closed due to severe flooding, impacting its educational programs and animal care.
Scunthorpe: It’s a tough time for the Healey Road Wildlife Centre. This place has been a safe haven for animals and a fun spot for kids to learn. But now, they’ve had to shut down because of flooding.
The centre, run by volunteers for eight years, got hit hard by the rain on Monday. They’ve been working non-stop to pump out the water, but it’s just too much right now. So, they decided to close until things get better.
Barry Cottiss, the chairman, shared that the council has promised to help over the years, but the flooding keeps getting worse. He mentioned that the council says it’s not their responsibility, which is frustrating for everyone involved.
Barry explained how they started the centre on some old allotment land. They’ve raised funds and done their best, but the flooding has been a problem for about four years now. Every winter, it’s like a bad dream that keeps coming back.
They’ve tried digging ditches and even put in drains, but nothing seems to work long-term. Barry feels like they’ve been let down by the council, especially since they’ve had so many visits from different departments promising solutions.
With spring around the corner, it’s a real bummer for the kids who love the pond dipping activities. Barry said it’s a health and safety risk to keep the centre open in its current state, so they had no choice but to close.
The council did say they sympathize with the situation but reminded everyone that the land’s location makes it prone to flooding. It’s a sad situation for the community and the wildlife that relies on the centre.
